Prachtig geschreven jeugdboek. Ik vloog hier echt doorheen, maar het zou geen straf zijn om dit te herlezen. Ik weet zeker dat ik dan weer andere/nieuwe dingen ontdek in de tekst die ik de eerste keer misschien gemist heb 🪲

Heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time 💔

The only reason I’m not rating this 5 stars is because of the pacing. This is very slow-paced and rightly so, because it wouldn’t work as a fast-paced action packed story. But that’s why it took me quite a long time to get through this book. I think it’s quite apt for this story though. This takes place during WW1 which, for those who lived through it, must’ve felt like a war with no end. Through the eyes of some of the characters it even feels like the end of the word. I wish I could describe my feelings about this story more eloquently, but for now this’ll have to do. I grew to love Freddie and Winter and Laura and Jones. And I definitely shed a few tears. 

Sometimes I feel the need to explain why I like reading stories about war so much. I think it’s because of that age old thing that “even in the darkest of times” we can find light or a glimmer of hope left. Such hopeless situations bring out the worst and best in people. Human connection is a magical thing. I’m going to sound incredibly sappy now, but I’m just a hopeless romantic okay? As long as there’s love in the world, I don’t think we can be truly lost as people. 

Might have to come back to this later when I’ve let this story really sink in.